When Swiss boxer and mixed martial artist Benoît Huber was invited to be a part of an Indian film, he signed up without hesitation.
"I have never been in India but I feel like I have an Indian instinct," says the boxer who also takes part in mixed martial arts fights across Europe.
Benoît admitted that he knew next to nothing about the film when he agreed to do the villainous cameo, alongside Kannada star Darshan in the 2013 film Bul Bul, when the crew was shooting at Interlaken in Switzerland.
"I was with the film crew for a short while and the scenes I acted in was very quick. It was over in just one shot and there was no need to do a second shot and the people on the set were happy," says the 31-year-old fighter from Switzerland.
Benoît was a foil to Darshan in a kidnap and fight sequence which ends with the Kannada star fighting off Benoît's gang on his own. Darshan comes out on top in the film, but even he would willingly admit that Benoît would win in a fight between the two if it weren’t for the rolling cameras. “He is a movie fighter and I am a real fighter. He would last twenty seconds if I am kind with him,” quips Benoît.
A seven-time Swiss boxing champion and a 2017 European champion in Mixed Martial Arts, Benoît dedicated the last 15 years to train himself to be a better fighter. "I love every fighting sport and I respect every fighting sport. English boxing is the basic sport I learnt. By learning that you can fight any combat sport like I did and you can be good in every fighting sport because your basics are strong. I began training at 16 and I gave all my energy to being successful in boxing. Now I am a complete fighter and I hope to do more," he says.
Until 2016, Benoît focused on his boxing before beginning to train in jiu jitzu to improve his overall fame. “I trained in jiu jitzu so that I could be ready to fight on the ground as well as adapt to whatever happens during the fight, whether I am doing stand-up boxing or ground jiu jitzu,” he says.
He recently switched from amateur boxing to professional boxing and is in contact with the Boxing Federation of India regarding boxing opportunities in the country. "I think it will be a good experience. I want to know the people and society in India. If I can help people in need or maybe If I can teach boxing to children, why not?" says Benoît.
As for cinema, the 31-year-old does not think he will act again unless another opportunity comes. I don't want to act more. It is not my objective but I might act again if someday, somebody comes to me and asks me if I can do it,” he says.